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lntroductlon:
Whereas thc object of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, as amended is to foster the
,Je-velopment oI shippilrg and ensure the safe & elhcient Indian mercantile marine in a
2. whereas the Directorate General of Shipping [DGS]' Ministry of Shipping, Govt of India
Shipping
is the designated maritime administration of the counrry to administer the Merchant
Act, 1958, as arnended, as facilirator and regulator ofthe merchant shipping in lndra:
3. Whereas. lhe United Nations Environmenl Programme (UNEP) is the leading global
environmcntal authority that sots the global environmental agenda' promotes the
coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable develop ent
rvirhin thc United Nations system. and serves as an authoritativc advocatc tbr the glohal
environmenl:
4. Whereas. over the years Irtdia has actively collaborated in the \ ork of the UNEP'
inc)uding for the prevention of marine pollution;
5. Whereas. as per the 2OI8UNEP repon titled Single-use plostics- A Roadmap for
Sustainahiltty. singlc-usc plastics are also knolvn as disposable Plastics like plastio
bags. straws. coffee srirrers- soda and water bottles and food packaging,
which are used
6. Whereas, the aforesaid reporl highlighted the ubiquitous nature of plastic fbr berng
:.
one of rhe greatest cnvironrncnlal challcngcs thal chbkes marine life transt'orfiing somc
manne areas lnto a Plastic soup:
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?. According to [nternational Clean-up Report,2017, the most common finds during
intemational coastal clean-ups are. in ordq of magnitude' cigarette butts, plastic beverage
bottles, plastic bottle caps, food wrappers, plastic grocery bags, plastic lids, staws and
stirrers. glass beverage boftles, other kinds of plastic bags. and foam take-awa) conlainers'
Singte-use plastics took most ofthe spols in this list of top ten
8. Whereas. as per the 2018 t NEP report, Single-use plaslics - A Roadmqp fot Sustainobility:
"Plastic pollution is a defining challenge of our times. Single-use throw away
plastics are the biggest cont.ibutd every year! millions of plastic bags end up in the
10. Whereas prohibition of discharging plastic at sea is not alien to maritime regulatory
frameworks-
ll. Whereas anecdolal accounts suggest the prevalence of wilful dumping of litter (plastic
boftles, bags etc.) overboajd by seafarers and that the lack of proper education and
management has lead the seafarers to inevitably use single-use plastic products and discard
them in a non-responsible manner;
13. Whereas during the lndependence Day speech on Aug. 15,2019, Hon'ble Prime Minister
had urged people and govemmcnt agencies to "take the first big step" on October 2,2019
rouards fieeing lndia ofsingle-use plastic.
14. whereas inline with the Hon'ble Prime Minister's call to the people and the
govemment agencies, the Director General of Shipping decided to examine the issue of
prohibiting the usage ofsingle-use plastics on Indian ships and foreign ships while such ships
are in Indian waters.
15. Whereas, a stakeholders meeting was convened at Directomte on 29d August 2019 under
the chairmanship of Director General of Shipping and Additional Secretary to Go1'1. of India.
The meeting was atlended by representatives of lnditur National Ship Owner Association,
Indian Coastal Shipping Associarion and Recog!ized Organizations.
16. whereas in the said meeting it was decided that with effect from 2nd October 2019 all
possible clfbrts will be made by thc Indian shipping to contribute lowards achicving the goal
ofmaking India and lndian waters free from Single use plastic.
17, Now therefore, in Iarger public interest a ban is imposed on single use plastic on lndian
ships and foreign ships while in Indian wate6, as per terms and conditions mentioned under
succeeding paragraphs.
18.1. All Ships which are deemed to be Indian Ships under Merchant Shipping Act,
1958.
19. Prohibitions:
1e.1. !!s-proh!b!!sdJ.e.!.9!.0!@U
Following Single use plastics are prohibited to be used on board lndian ships and
foreign ships when such ships are at a pon or place in India with effeot from l"
Janusry 2020:
19.1.3. Bottles for water ard other drinks, dispensing containers for cleaning fluids,
biscuit trays;
19.1.4. Hot drink cups, insulated food packaging, protective packaging for fragile
items:
19.1.5. Microwave dishes. ice cream tubs, potato chip bags, bottlc caps:
19.2.4. Dispensing conlainers for cleaning fluids which are less than 10 lirres volume.
20. EE&E9E9g!:
20.l.l.Single use plastics are not found used/stored on board any Indian ship. A
Memo to the same efTect to be iNerted in the Survey status of ships.
repeated during next inspection, it may be taken as a clear grcund for detention under
ISM Code.
20.3. Admlnistration Surveyors while carrying out Port State Inspection of foreign
flag vessels to ensue that Single use plastics aJe not in use and are kept locked in a
store during their stay in lndian ports a.nd on their passage through the te itorial
waters of India. A foreign ships intending to enter an Indian port (as defined in Anicle
l1 of TNCLOS), is required to make a log entry identirying rhe "Single Use Plastic
Items" on board the ship and stating the time, latitude and longitude when" along
with the location of the store where these items are stored prior entering Indian
tenitorial waters. Fwther no strgle use plastic irems to be dischalggd to port reception
facility at an Indian port; same to be verified during Pon State Inspections.
The foregoing measures have been put in place to ensure safe, secure, environmentally
sound. sustainable shipping and in public inreresr.
22. This order shall come into force with immediare effect.
Jlffi.h,r,r/
Direclor Ceneral of Shipping
& Additional Secretary to the Gol.
To;